Country singer-songwriter Brenda Cay swiftly accumulated vast support & accolades due to the unique versatility of her authentic musical style & passion-driven vocals.
With EP’s “Fragile Like a Bomb” & “Love Or Dreams” receiving extensive amounts of attraction amongst the global music scene. Listeners have eagerly anticipated the next chapter of this gifted artist’s musical journey.
Now, Brenda brings upbeat country energy with the brand new single “This Ain’t That”, which takes listeners through another journey of present love that feels almost too good to be real.
Brenda has kindly taken the time to speak with Fierce & Fabulous Revolution regarding the journey behind the creation of the song & what the song means on an emotional level. You can find the full interview below.
Hey Brenda, thank you so much for this interview. Can you start by telling the readers a little bit about yourself?
Brenda: Thank you for this opportunity to talk about my music. I am a Country and Coastal Americana singer/songwriter from Chattanooga, TN. I love dogs, football, and of course, music! Anyone who knows me will tell you that I’m always singing along with whatever’s playing.
When did you first discover your passion for music?
Brenda: I have loved music since I was a kid. I took piano lessons and then learned to play the flute and joined the high-school marching band. I tend to write and sing country, but I just like good music from any genre. I remember sitting outside my older brother’s bedroom door listening to whatever he was playing. Nothing speaks to the heart the way music does.
Have you always known that you wanted to pursue a career within the music industry?
Brenda: No. Originally I pursued a career as a CPA, but that didn’t allow me to express my creativity. It was actually my love for writing that pulled me into the music business. I really wanted to write songs, so I got a guitar and started learning how to play and compose. I’ve been writing for about ten years now and I still feel like a kid in a candy store when I’m writing something new. There’s nothing like the rush you get going from nothing to having a song!
How would you currently describe your musical style?
Brenda: I would say that my musical style is a modern traditional country with hints of pop, rock, and even a little R&B. I grew up listening to mainly pop and rock music. It wasn’t until later that I grew to love country and so I guess that comes out in my songwriting.
You have just released the brand new single “This Ain’t That”. How did the idea for this song come together?
Brenda: I wrote this song in Nashville about three years ago with country artist, Josh David, and songwriters, Casey Carpenter and Josh Johnson. Most co-writes begin with everyone throwing out ideas, and this one was no different. Josh Johnson threw out the hook – “This Ain’t That” and we all quickly agreed that it had a good vibe and thought we could come up with a relatable story for it. After discussing several scenarios, we decided to make it about finding and falling in love with someone and comparing that to past experiences. Josh David led out with a great melody and when we finished we had this catchy, fun song!
How would you compare the creative process behind this song to your earlier releases?
Brenda: I think the creative process for every song I write is different. I wrote this with three other great writers so there were many ideas flowing and the challenge became narrowing down what we wanted to use. Once we settled on a direction, it all came together.
Did you always plan to release “This Ain’t That” as a single?
Brenda: No. In fact, we originally wrote it as a male vocal song. I came across it a few months ago when I was going through my song catalogue and I remembered how much I liked it. The other songwriters were cool with me making a couple of changes so I could record it and I’m really happy with the way it turned out. I can’t wait to share it!
What does this song personally mean to you?
Brenda: Even though we didn’t write this song for me or about me, I had been in other relationships before I met my husband and I can definitely relate to the lyrics. When I met him, I knew he was different from other guys I dated. Like the couple in the song, we fell in love very quickly and I knew, “This Ain’t That.”
If listeners could take anything away from this song, what would you like it to be?
Brenda: If they could take anything away from this song, it would be that love can surprise you and you may find it when you least expect it.
What advice would you offer to someone who is looking to pursue a career within the music industry?
Brenda: The best advice I can offer someone pursuing a career in music is to hone your business and marketing skills. So much of what we do as independent musicians is self-promotion, and we often work within a tight budget so understanding your cash flow is very important.
Finally, is there a message that you would like to share with the readers of Fierce & Fabulous Revolution?
Brenda: There is a quote from Theodore Roosevelt that I think is particularly fitting in the music business because as artists we are constantly putting ourselves out there and we are judged by everyone. He said, “It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at best knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.” Artists are judged on their music and many other factors (some of which aren’t even relevant to the music at all). It is difficult to be true to yourself as an artist while under criticism and trying to work within budgetary constraints, but our greatest asset is our uniqueness. I think it’s important to embrace that. This quote brings me peace because what I think he’s really saying is that we all fall, but we only truly fail if we don’t get back up and keep trying!
You can check out “This Ain’t That” on Spotify below or via further platforms here.
Fierce & Fabulous Revolution 